


Of beginnings and endings.

by RachelDanna



Category: Tales of Xillia, Tales of Xillia 2
Genre: Angst, Bitter sweet really, Don't say I didn't warn you, Fluff, Humour, Hurt/Comfort, I hate origin and chronos, Julius is the best brother ever, Kresnik, M/M, MAJOR SPOILERS FOR XILLIA 2, Other, The Land of Canaan, angst with happy ending, sibling fic, tbh who doesn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-15
Updated: 2015-09-15
Packaged: 2018-04-20 22:12:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4804139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RachelDanna/pseuds/RachelDanna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were brothers, as simple as that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of beginnings and endings.

It was because Julius was his big brother, to Ludger, nothing will ever change that, and nothing else would matter.

 

“Ludger, Ludger wake up.”

 

His eyes snapped open, and it took him a while before he managed to sit up on his bed and even out his breathing, his body trembling from the after effects of the nightmare that still ran fresh in his head.

 

“Ludger.”

 

A hand rested on his shoulder, and he stares at it, his eyes following up the appendage to meet with its owner. Ludger visibly relaxed, and he offers a small, shaky smile, to his brother, his brother that had concern etched into his features, a small frown on his lips.

 

“You okay?” he eventually asks, sitting by Ludger’s side to provide support, letting his younger brother lean against his side. Not voicing out his answer, Ludger simply nods, and lets out a very quiet sigh, closing his eyes to only see the terrifying images of his nightmare floating by.

 

Grimacing, he reopens them, and turns to meet Julius’s own blue grey eyes, contrasting his bright green ones. “I’m fine.” He ends up saying, even though they both knew it was a lie. Julius sighs, and shakes his head, “No you’re not, and you know it.” But he didn’t push any further; instead, he nudges Ludger to the side, crawling into bed with him. At Ludger’s questioning expression, Julius smiled and grabbed the extra pillow Ludger kept on his bed, “Go back to sleep, neither of us have to wake up until a couple of hours later. It’s late, and cold, so I’m not leaving you to deal with that nightmare, less it comes back.” He states firmly, pulling Ludger down beside him as he lies on the bed, taking his glasses and placing it by the bedside table.

 

Ludger stares at his brother, and ends up laughing a little despite his exasperation, but he doesn’t push him away, choosing instead to scoot over to share the single with Julius. It was crammed, and a little uncomfortable, but Ludger drew what comfort and safety he could get from his brother’s body heat, closing his eyes to breathe and bask in the presence of the older male. When arms circled his waist and hands found themselves in his white and black mixed hair, Ludger only relaxes further, finding himself asleep in the next few minutes.

 

Julius watches his younger brother drift off into sleep, and his hold tightens on the smaller body, humming softly while his hand ran through the white strands of hair. “Sleep well, Ludger.” He whispers, closing his eyes and pressing a light kiss on the younger’s forehead, wishing only happiness and peace for them both.

 

* * *

 

 

It was because Ludger was his younger brother, to Julius, nothing will ever change that, and nothing else would matter.

 

“Julius!”

 

He reacts a tad bit too late, and a fist came crashing down on his jaw, forcing a hiss of pain to escape his lips. “Julius!” Ludger’s alarmed cry came yet again. Julius grunted, but stood up to again to stand in front of his brother, protecting him from this drunken man that decided to pick on him.

 

“You’re not allowed to touch my brother.” Julius states firmly, reaching for his blades, clasped on his back, ready to be drawn to attack. But he doesn’t, instead, he reaches his arms out to shield his younger brother, pushing him back against the wall in hopes it would lessen any injuries.

 

The drunken man glares, and points a twitching finger in Ludger’s direction. “This boy needs to be taught a lesson! He took my girl away!” he snarls, edging closer to the both of them with a empty glass bottle in his hand.  


“My brother did nothing.” Julius responds calmly, scanning the man’s movements carefully. Turning his head slightly to glance at Ludger, he pushes his GHS in the younger’s hands. “Call the police.” He says firmly.

 

Those short few seconds was enough for the drunken man to slip away from Julius’s attention, entering his blind spot and striking down on his head. The glass shattered upon contact, blood trickled down Julius’ forehead as he blinked in shock, followed shortly by a cry of pain.

 

The copper taste of blood filled his senses, and black spots started to dance in the corners of his sight, tempting him to give in and let the darkness swallow him whole. But he couldn’t do that just yet. If he did, that would leave Ludger vulnerable and in danger.

 

“Julius!” Ludger gasps, gripping his brother’s arm tightly to steady him, panic rising steadily. “Julius stop! I can take care of myself!” he continues, pulling Julius further away from the man who was still edging closer.

 

“See?! You can get hurt too, boy! So back off!” he yells, and Julius steeled himself, gripping Ludger’s hand on his arm tightly before pushing it off. Finally drawing his weapons, he took a defensive stance in front of Ludger, protecting his brother more than himself.

 

“Ludger, I want you to run.” Julius says, gripping the handles of his twin blades tightly, trying to stop himself from blacking out.

 

“What?!” was Ludger’s reply, disbelief written all over his face.

 

“You heard me. When you deem your area safe, call the police.” He continues, staring at the man who was still edging closer. “Nothing is more important than your safety.”

 

“Julius you can’t just-,”

 

“I’ll be fine, Ludger.” Just to prove his point, Julius turns to smile at Ludger. Ludger who had his hair slicked back in a poor attempt to look formal for work (at a bar in Duval of all places), and a worried frown on his face. “Who’s the one who taught you how to fight huh?”

 

Needless to say, that drunken man was arrested.

 

But not before Ludger himself beat him to a bloody pulp while the man was in handcuffs and Julius safely sent off to the hospital.

 

Honestly, Julius spoils him way too much. He can take care of himself.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

It was because Ludger was his younger brother, that he couldn’t help but tease him when a girl came over to ‘thank you for saving my behind back there, Luds!’

 

Ludger hurriedly pushed her out of the door, a bouquet of flowers in his hands with a very quiet exclamation of, “I’m not a girl, Nova! I don’t need these flowers!” But he had taken them anyway, because the girl just wouldn’t take no as an answer. They bickered for a bit more, Ludger taking more verbal hits than he would’ve liked, but he eventually managed to get her out and away from their apartment.

 

Julius was sitting calmly on their sofa, sipping from his cup of tea while he faked reading the newspaper. After hearing the door close, he looked up, setting the cup on the table and crossing his arms, a very amused smile plastered on his face.

 

“Do I get to call you ‘ _Luds’_ now?”

 

He was promptly met with the bouquet of flowers to his face.

 

* * *

 

It was because Julius was his older brother, that he couldn’t help but prepare all of his favourite dishes after getting promoted at work to _Director of the Department of Dimensional Affairs._

Ludger didn’t understand what that meant, but it was work, and it was a promotion, so it was a good thing right? Julius had smiled, and he had eaten the pasta so fast Ludger had to leave to get him seconds.

 

He missed the troubled look Julius wore when he did.

 

* * *

 

 

It was because they were brothers, that they couldn’t help but be protective of one another. To be there for each other when the world was so keen on pulling them apart.

 

“Why the hell is this required to get to Canaan?!” Ludger demanded, trying to comprehend the situation, trying to understand the fact that he had to _lose his brother to get to the land of trials and wishes._

Julius had shot him a pained smile, followed by a sigh of, “Another way to test the nature of humans, I suppose.”

 

Ludger had clenched his fists together tightly, and when Julius pulled off the glove covering his hand that was supposedly used to cover the burn scar from the hot soup Ludger had accidentally spilled over him when he was a kid, he took a sharp intake of breath, his throat clenching painfully.

 

“Don’t feel too badly for me,” he started, “I’m a dead man no matter what. At least this way my death will mean something to someone.”

 

Ludger’s eyes fixated on the blackened hand, and by this point his own hands were clenched so tightly, his palms were bleeding from where his fingernails pierced through the skin.

 

“Use my life. Let me be your path to the Land of Canaan.”

 

When he had made his decision, Julius drew his weapon right after Ludger did his. They charged into each other for one last duel, Julius’s words ringing clearly in his ears whenever their blades clashed against each other’s.

 

_Let me be your big brother one last time._

As Ludger entered Julius’s dimension, he willed himself to not cry, not yet, he had a job to do, no matter how much it pained him to do so.

 

_Go and create your perfect world._

 

Julius had smiled. Julius had smiled at him as if everything would be alright. Julius had smiled at him, humming that song that comforted him even when he was about to kill the person that mattered the most in his life.

 

When Julius’s body dropped onto his shoulder, when the only thing he could hear was his own anguished screams as the tears finally, _finally,_ escaped him, when his body was shaking so badly with the lance in his hands, through the body of _his brother,_ the world shattered around him in millions of pieces.

 

Ludger’s world shattered in that moment, in his arms.

 

* * *

“Ludger, this is Julius Karcsi Bakur. Your half brother. Julius, this is Ludger Will Kresnik.”

 

Ludger stared into Julius’s blue grey eyes that he had missed so much, that he had spent the past 20 years of his life looking for, remembering him only through fragmented memories that Chronos had granted him with.

 

Julius smiled, turning to the woman who had helped them find each other again, and corrected, “Will Kresnik. My name is Julius Will Kresnik.”

 

He turned back to Ludger, and before any other words were exchanged, pulled him into a tight hug that stole his breath away. Ludger bit down on his lip, hiding his face in Julius’s shoulder just like he did when he was a kid, in the other world that forced them apart, threw them into a path that neither of them ever wanted to take.

 

“Julius.” Ludger breathed, clutching the other to himself tightly, not wanting to let go ever again.

 

“Ludger.” Julius responded, sighing in relief, finally having his brother again, in his arms.

 

 

 

 

It was because they were brothers, they were brothers that treasured and loved each other so much that even Origin couldn’t keep them apart for long. It was because even though they went through hell and back, they would do it over and over again, if it meant having each other by their side once more.

 

They were brothers that didn’t give a damn with how the world worked, as long as they had each other to get through it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not happy with how I wrote the ending. And this is a different writing style than to what I'm used to, so I apologise if anything seem out of place. ;;-;; ah but that doesn't mean I don't like my fic *^* Wanted to write a piece for these two for a while <3


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